| The front entry of your house is where first | | | | When you are planning your stonework, there are |
| impressions are made. Though not usually a primary | | | | nearly as many materials to choose from as there |
| living area, the walkway, steps, porch and front door | | | | are different rocks, but the most popular of these |
| will receive more visitors and traffic than any other | | | | are: natural stone, interlocking stone, flagstone, |
| area of your home. This is also the face your house | | | | pre-cast stone and brick. Your stonework should |
| presents to the street. So if you want to increase | | | | always complement your home - never compete |
| the resale value of your home and want to know | | | | with it. If your house is brick construction, consider |
| where to start the renovations - don't look any | | | | the colour and texture of the brick when choosing |
| farther than your front door. | | | | materials. If it is a Victorian character home, you may |
| Turn Grey Prefab Steps Iinto A Grand Enterance | | | | want to consider using natural rock. Modern |
| Stonework is a long-lasting and attractive way to add | | | | architecture on the other hand may call for a less |
| curb appeal. In a single day a contractor can | | | | traditional approach. |
| transform a drab entranceway into a welcoming | | | | The surrounding landscape should also be taken into |
| threshold that adds style and thousands of dollars of | | | | consideration as a home is always part of a larger |
| value to your home. If you have standard poured | | | | context. Neighboring homes, types of vegetation and |
| concrete steps leading up to your front door, a skilled | | | | foliage, terrain, types of rock found locally, and |
| tradesman can overlay the uniform grey concrete | | | | architectural styles in your region should all be taken |
| with multi coloured brick or rock in a pattern intended | | | | into consideration when planning an outdoor |
| to bring out the character in your house. | | | | renovation. |
| Katherine and Steve of Eden Prairie, Minnesota, | | | | In feng shui, the front steps and path to your door |
| transformed the garden and entranceway to their | | | | are one of the most important ways energy is |
| home this summer when they had their outdated | | | | drawn into your home. An important aspect of |
| front steps tiled in interlocking stone that cascades | | | | landscaping the front of your house, your plans and |
| into a simple multicoloured and curving footpath. The | | | | designs here can go as far as your budget and |
| wide and artful pathway guides people to the front | | | | creativity will allow. Landscaping in this area should |
| door in a way that poured concrete never will. | | | | take your family's lifestyle and needs into |
| "Just this one change makes such a huge | | | | consideration along with planned uses, surrounding |
| difference to the front yard," says Katherine, | | | | architecture elevations, shade and color. Expert |
| who says the stonework is part of a bigger plan for | | | | masons will work with your entire yard, the shape of |
| the landscaping in front of the house. "We just | | | | your landing, stairs and footpath to create a unified |
| wanted to do one thing at a time and this was the | | | | design that truly welcomes people. |
| simplest and most significant part of the | | | | This article was written by the writing team at |
| design." Katherine estimates that the $1500 | | | | Associates Realty in Minneapolis. Browse our listings |
| they invested in the new stonework has increased | | | | right now to see Minneapolis homes for sale or |
| the resale value of their home $6-8K, "and the | | | | contact us when you're ready to sell. |
| neighbors love it," she says. | | | | |